Bengaluru: Angry citizens staged sharp and fierce counter-attacks on a BJP MP after he tried to blame the Cong govt for the traffic nightmare on the Varthur-Gunjur stretch.Reacting to reports of schoolchildren spending hours in traffic, Bangalore Central MP PC Mohan asked on X: “Yesterday, schoolchildren took 2.5 hours to travel just 4km. How can govt justify spending Rs 5,500 crore when citizens still struggle on unsafe roads?”However, the potshots backfired on him with netizens pointing out that the Varthur-Gunjur corridor fell under Mahadevapura assembly constituency, represented by BJP since 2008. Former BJP MLA Aravind Limbavali held the seat from 2008 to 2023, while the constituency is now represented by his wife Manjula Limbavali.Responding to the MP’s post, Vinay Sharma, a resident, wrote: “The same playbook doesn’t work anymore. Every time there is an issue, the blame is shifted elsewhere. You find time to attend events and functions, but have you taken the initiative to sit down with officials and push for faster completion of road works?”Another resident, Murali Krishnan, questioned why successive administrations had failed to address the area’s mounting traffic problems despite years of rapid urbanisation. “It is unfortunate that residents continue to face the same issues year after year. Citizens expect all stakeholders, irrespective of political affiliation, to work together with agencies and local bodies to find solutions instead of passing the blame,” he said.MLA Manjula Limbavali said the area’s explosive growth had placed enormous pressure on infrastructure originally built to serve a much smaller population. “When campaigning in Mahadevapura in 2008, large parts of this region were still largely rural. Following the growth of the IT sector and the development of the Outer Ring Road corridor, the area witnessed unprecedented growth, far beyond what many anticipated,” she told TOI.She added: “A mass transit system such as Metro connectivity will help reduce dependence on private vehicles. We are exploring various mobility solutions and working to address the concerns of residents as effectively as possible.”Inset8-point formula for less pain on road* Asphalt roads; vehicular speed will increase* Don’t approve new apartments till roads get better* Clear road and pavement encroachments* MLA should actively participate with stakeholders* Ensure traffic policemen are visible* Violate those who switch lanes* Stagger office hours; WFH for a month as a pilot* Let school timings not clash with peak-hour traffic
